The advent of genetic engineering-the ability to edit and insert DNA into living organisms-in the latter half of the 20th century created visions of a new era of synthetic biology, where novel biological functions could be designed and implemented for useful purposes. We are witnessing an exciting revolution of scale, where technical progress allows the manipulation of genetic material at the whole genome level. Continue reading →

Influenza A virus is the prototype of the Orthomyxoviridae, and like all members of this family, the negative-sense RNA that comprises its genome is divided into separate segments. These vRNA segments share a common organisation; a long central coding region … Continue reading →

Human disease attributable to variola virus (VARV), the etiologic agent of smallpox, has been reported in human populations for more than 2,000 years. VARV is unique among orthopoxviruses in that it is an exclusively human pathogen. Because it has a … Continue reading →

Update: The end of the world? Dr Franken-Venter? Nope Craig Venter has built a synthetic genome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first artificial life form. A team of 20 scientists led by … Continue reading →